Nissan Murano Engine Sludge ???

doku1229 · Feb 18th, 2008, 03:34 PM

I have a 2005 Nissan Murano, I brought it for my 15k service and was told over the phone I had sludge in the engine & they recommended a flush which I let them do... after that the car has been burning oil, then stopped running, now they say they it's due to ENGINE SLUDGE and they will not cover it under warrantee because of no maintenance records...they will charge me $1700 to fix... how can a car with 16k miles, brand new just DIE from sludge and then they don't even want to fix it!!!!
????

1997XETruck · Feb 23rd, 2008, 12:17 PM

$1700 sounds amazingly cheap for a new short block installed... are you sure they're not giving you some sort of warranty credit?

Have you owned it since new? If not, do you have any maintenence records at all? If you bought it used, where did you buy it? If it's the original oil in 15K and about three years in service, I would say it's very possible...

Heath

doku1229 · Feb 23rd, 2008, 01:24 PM

It was new when I got it in Nov. of 05. The estimate is for spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, another flush, something they put down as "fuel induction". I am really disappointed in this vehicle-- I have never had such problems with a car, let alone one with just 16k miles. The car had NO problems until after they did the first so called "flush" during the 15k mile service, after that it started burning oil and I drove it as long as I could like that, putting oil in every week or 2 until finally the "service engine" light came on and it started to putput at about 23k miles. It has been at the dealership for almost 3 weeks. They're not giving me any warranty credit-- just about all I'm getting out of them is a really hard time! They may not cover it at all under warranty. I'm waiting to hear back from them hopefully on Monday. For what they are doing, the repair sounds overly expensive to me, and if it turns out I have to pay for this I'm going have issues with their pricing. $292.50 for spark plugs?? Is it just me?? After this I will not get another Nissan!!

MaxQuest · Feb 27th, 2008, 11:07 AM

Has the oil been changed before the 15,000 miles?

doku1229 · Feb 28th, 2008, 09:29 PM

No I did not change the oil, it was just an oversight, but I don't think this should result in a total breakdown of a brand new engine, or give Nissan a reason not to honor a warranty. I have *never* in my life had a repair of this expense even on a 10 yr. old vehicle with 100k miles on it and I have maintained all of my cars the same way. The service man at the dealership told me he sees this ALL the time in the Murano & 350z-- they have the same engine. I hope there will be a class action law suit.

88pathoffroad · Feb 29th, 2008, 02:09 AM

Let me get this straight. You didn't change the oil ONCE within the very FIRST 15K miles on the vehicle?

I'm surprised they even offered to fix it for you. That's insane.

doku1229 · Feb 29th, 2008, 01:45 PM

yeah, it's so "insane" that I paid them over $1400 to fix my car... why *WOULD* they have fixed it??? Gee, who is coming out ahead here, esp. when I was told they see this SAME REPAIR all the time, even WITH regular oil changes. Not changing oil for 15k miles should not cause a catastrophic engine failure.

88pathoffroad · Feb 29th, 2008, 02:56 PM

Some people out there probably aren't changing their oil, kinda like you. If the consequence of not changing the oil on a BRAND NEW CAR WITHIN THE FIRST 3 YEARS is that the engine may suffer extreme wear or a mechanical breakdown, then you should have been on top of the oil changes. You missed the first 3 oil changes within the first 3 YEARS in your new car's life. WTF. 3 years without an oil change? What were you thinking?

Seriously, considering the owners manual will tell you the oil change intervals(likely 4-5K miles), I would have gone with that instead of not doing it at all. That's how people lose their warrantee...the dealership WILL nitpick your maintenance and blame everything on you for not following the instructions that came with your new car. RTFM!

Fueler · Feb 29th, 2008, 03:38 PM

WOW

For future reference, the first oil change is the MOST IMPORTANT.

I call it the "break-in" oil - it will be chock full of metal shavings after the first 1k miles on an engine.

15k miles on the original oil??? Thats absolutely crazy!!

Sorry to hear about your misfortune but you destroyed your own engine and you have nobody to blame but yourself. Warranty's NEVER cover carelessness, at least where i'm from they don't!

Hopefully you will change your maintenance schedule, it will save you a lot of money in the long run!

Kittamaru · Feb 29th, 2008, 04:00 PM

Are you stupid man? 15k miles and 3 years without changing even the ORIGINAL oil? Dear god... you're lucky they even THOUGHT to try and fix it... I'd have told you to go sod off and die.

Get a pathy next time... 90-95 will serve ya great

Fueler · Feb 29th, 2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kittamaru

Get a pathfinder next time...

Actually The murano is a great car when maintaned normally! I had an AWD one as a rental and it changed my opinion completely. It's truly a drivers car, doesnt matter what the haters think of its looks.

Its comfortable, tons of head room, AWD is stable at high speeds, i took it 90 mph down a windy road covered in sand and it was beautiful.... handling like no pathfinder ever could!

doku1229 · Feb 29th, 2008, 04:16 PM

OH geez, let's all gang up on the girl who didn't change the oil! I understand it's not GOOD for the car but, should it DESTROY the car? I have a VW GLI and the "MANUAL" recommends the oil changes every 10k miles after the 1st initial change at 5k. We had a Toyota Tacoma that had oil changes twice in 5 years, and has not had ONE SINGLE ISSUE. It was because I obviously had no oil change receipts that Nissan would not cover it under warranty. I guess I would be blaming myself, if this had only happened to me. As I said, this same issue has happened repeatedly to others that have had more than 1 oil change in 15k miles, so obviously it is a problem with Nissan. The problem was not that I didn't do the oil changes, the problem was I had no receipts. SO to anyone reading this that HAS a Murano, (or 350z), if you DON'T change the oil EVERY 3000 miles on the DOT, (that is what the "FM" recommends), AND save your receipts, you will be in for this same repair bill.

laxman0324 · Feb 29th, 2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doku1229

yeah, it's so "insane" that I paid them over $1400 to fix my car... why *WOULD* they have fixed it??? Gee, who is coming out ahead here, esp. when I was told they see this SAME REPAIR all the time, even WITH regular oil changes. Not changing oil for 15k miles should not cause a catastrophic engine failure.

Don't waste peoples times on the forum with this kind of crap. We don't need to hear you complain because of your own stupidity. I like the "slight oversight"

doku1229 · Feb 29th, 2008, 04:18 PM

And just to clarify-- I did NOT have the car for THREE years!!! It was 15 MONTHS when problems first surfaced!!!

doku1229 · Feb 29th, 2008, 04:21 PM

And to you who thinks I'm "wasting your time"-- I did not force you to read this thread. I guess you have nothing better to do.